In the Meantime Hush Your Face
by Dresupi
Summary: Lily asks James on a date and one thing after another goes wrong. Most of the them are James' fault. Okay, they're all his fault. But in his defense, he didn't have all the information. And he meant well. He really did! Also, Lily is a smart cookie and Alice is a good friend. Canon Divergence. Marauders Era. One Shot for now.


**I posted this back in July of 2017 and took it down. And now it's back. YAY!**

 **A couple of things to note:**

 **1\. I used Macmillian for Alice Longbottom's maiden name. I hope that's okay. *wink***

 **2\. The main conflict revolves around a scheduling change for the Hogsmeade weekends. And it's a little hand wavey. But let's just...go with it, shall we? *hearts***

 **3\. My title comes from 'Bloody Well Right' by Supertramp.**

 **4\. I may have gotten some things wrong, and if I did and you notice, that's great! I am not particularly interested in hearing about it though. A lot of things I wrote in this I did for a reason because I am eventually planning a longer fic series centered around this headcanon. But if you want to discuss hcs or whatever, I'm always open for that. (As long as you're civil)**

 **The idea for this came from a prompt I received on tumblr: "Anonymous said: Could you write an angst Jily fic? Maybe an argument before they're together? Thanks love! x"**

 **I...uh...might have gone above and beyond on this. Not even sorry. I love this pairing.**

* * *

"James!"

He turned at the sound of his name, grinning widely when he saw who was calling him.

"Hullo, Evans," he said in greeting, jamming his hands in his pockets and slowing his gait so she could catch up to him. Remus and Peter slowed as well, but he waved them on with a stern look.

"Oh, they...they didn't have to go," she began.

"They've got somewhere to be," he explained, leaving out that 'somewhere' was anywhere but there with him.

"Ah. And you don't?"

"Nowhere I'd _rather_ be, at any rate…"

Her cheeks tinged a slightly darker pink than they usually were and James congratulated himself on a bit of perfectly witty flirting.

"I suppose it's just as well…" She wrapped her arms more securely around her books, hoisting them up on her front a little more.

James' hands immediately went out, offering to carry them.

She shook her head, "No, that's alright, I'm off to Divination and-"

"It's really no trouble. I'm headed that way." He kept his hands out and she bit back a smirk as she handed them over.

"Don't you have Transfiguration?" she asked. "It's in the opposite direction…"

"Do you want me to carry your books for you or not, Evans?"

She huffed out a tiny laugh and wrapped her arms around her waist. "I suppose it's your head if McGonagall catches you late."

"Too right, that." He threw his shoulders back. "Let you in on a little secret, though? I'm her favourite."

"Didn't she have you in detention just last week?"

He sniffed. "That was just to keep up appearances. She can't let on I'm her favourite. It would hurt morale, you see."

She grinned and kept walking. "I actually did need to ask you something."

"If it's for notes from Potions, I'm afraid I can't help you."

She rolled her eyes. "I was there. And why would I ask _you_ for notes? You never bring anything to class."

He shrugged. "I'm only saying…"

Lily took a deep breath. "James...would you accompany me to Hogsmeade?"

He stopped walking. "Wait. What?"

"To Hogsmeade. You know...there's the semi-monthly...trip -of course you know that…" She paused, pressing her lips together for a moment before continuing. "I thought we might...go together?"

"As in…" he trailed, trying not to jump to conclusions. Which was hard, because all he wanted to do right then was jump around.

She sighed. "You bloody well know what I'm asking you, James Potter."

"I do. But I've been wrong about things before. I'm only asking for a bit of clarification." He smiled down in her direction. Those green eyes of hers sparkled when she got shirty. Which she was right now.

She pressed her lips together. "You're making me regret this."

"No, no!" he reached out to wrap his hand around hers, hoisting her books, because he hadn't thought about how to carry them with one arm. "I'm only just...I'm being an idiot. I'm rather good at it, if you hadn't noticed. I would love to accompany you to Hogsmeade...on Saturday? I'm assuming, unless you'd rather go after class on Friday?"

"I was...thinking Saturday?"

He smiled, "Right and am I leaving you once we get there? Or…will I continue to accompany you upon arriving?"

"James."

He mirrored her expression. "How much money should I bring? Are you a cheap date, or do I have to feed you?"

She rolled her eyes, yanking her hand from his as she started to walk again. "I'm not skint. I only want your time."

"I...I don't mind paying," he backtracked. "It was a joke. A bad joke. A terrible, awful joke. Let me buy you lunch? Please?"

"I'll buy my own lunch. But you can buy me a Butterbeer. Deal?" She offered a handshake.

He shook it firmly and held on for a few seconds longer than he probably should have.

They walked the rest of the way in relative silence, catching each other's gazes long enough to blush and look away once more.

He might as well have been flying. Because Lily Evans had asked him on a date and absolutely nothing could take away the warm feeling he got whenever he thought about it.

He returned her books outside the Divination classroom, aware of the many pairs of prying eyes who spied them in the doorway.

"I'll be seeing you," she said with a wink, turning to leave him and walk to her seat.

He jammed his hands back in his pockets and did an about-face to go in the direction he'd come from. He was hopelessly late for Transfiguration, but he hoped he'd curry some favour from McGonagall for escorting Lily to class.

He talked a big talk, but he was rather certain that it was Lily who was the professor's favourite and not him - even if she wasn't taking N.E.W.T level Transfiguration.

And he was also quite certain that he was going to get a detention for being late again. He really hoped it wouldn't interfere with his Hogsmeade plans. Which was something he hadn't worried about in years.

He'd ceased being excited about Hogsmeade trips about halfway through third year. And here he was in sixth year, suddenly looking forward to it all over again.

Because Lily Evans had asked him to go on a date. Romantically.

* * *

Lily spotted Alice Macmillian waving at her from across the Great Hall, so she made her way towards the Gryffindor table.

Dropping her books beside Alice, Lily slid onto the bench beside her friend. She reached for a sandwich from the platter that had appeared in the centre of the table.

Her friend didn't speak, simply folded her hands and turned to face her expectantly.

"What?" Lily asked, taking a dainty bite of her sandwich, the picture of innocence.

"You _know_ what."

She shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't."

She did. She absolutely did, but she wasn't about to volunteer information to Alice. Not that she didn't trust her best friend, but they spent nearly every waking moment together. There were so few secrets between them. She wanted to relish the one time she had a secret to which Alice wasn't already privy.

"Rubbish. Tell me about you and James. He's apparently going with you to Hogsmeade. And may or may not be your betrothed."

Lily glanced furtively down to the other end of the table where she knew he'd be. And he was. Sitting there, eating lunch with his mates. "Tongues have certainly been wagging..." she said, taking a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"Do they ever do anything else?" Alice reached for an orange and began to peel it. "I have enough sense to know that you're not engaged. Or rather, that you wouldn't be without finding some way to tell me immediately. I would be hurt if I had to hear it from a second year Hufflepuff in the girls' toilet…but I assume the other half of this rumour might have some truth to it..."

"Quite…"

"So? Spill it, Lil. How did he ask you? I've been waiting nearly six years for this moment, spare no details."

It was at that moment that a rustle of parchment caught their ears as a few hundred folded announcements fell practically onto their plates.

Lily picked hers up and read it. "The Hogsmeade weekend trip has been moved from the third weekend up to the second (or as one might say the "weekend upcoming"), to accommodate a special guest speaker visiting the duelling club for the final two weeks of September. The schedule will be back to normal in October...hm."

That gave her less time than she'd anticipated to mentally prepare for James Potter. Only two days instead of nine.

She glanced up from her parchment, looking once again back down to the end of the table where James was currently perched. Peter hung on his every word like always, while Sirius lounged on the bench. Remus had his nose in a book and was looking a bit peckish, if she did say so herself. She certainly hoped he was eating enough.

James turned, catching her gaze as he stuffed the folded parchment into his shirt pocket.

He shot a grin her way, which made her blush and turn back to her lunch.

Alice laughed. "Sweet Merlin, you've got it bad, haven't you?"

"Oh, sod off…" Lily grumbled.

Her friend reached over and poked her arm. "And don't think you're getting away without answering my question. How did he ask you?"

Lily couldn't help but grin as she ate the last bit of her sandwich. "He didn't. I asked him."

"Come off it, Evans," Alice scoffed. "He's fancied you since last year and you asked _him_? I thought you hated him."

"Why would you think that? I don't hate him."

"Well, _obviously_. But you have been known to say you hate him, so you might see my confusion on the matter."

Lily waved her hand vaguely. "That was a long time ago."

"It was last week, to my recollection."

"Oh, leave me be, Alice...I can't help it if he checks all Amortentia boxes. He's well fit, don't you think?"

Alice stared down the table in his direction. "Come to think of it, he checks mine too. He's got that hair. And a decent smile. Don't tell Frank I said that, mind…" She shrugged. "It's about time. You've been about two sideways glances from snogging in a supply cupboard. Two ticks away, I'd say."

"Hush your face, Alice Macmillian."

Waggling her eyebrows, Alice reached for one of the sandwiches. "I'm rather certain your sexual tension in Herbology was what sent all the mooncalves on heat. Ogg was having an awful time with them. Had to go get Hagrid to calm them all down again…"

"Hush. Your. Face. Alice," Lily said deliberately. "Besides. The mooncalves were _already_ on heat. The third years are supposed to be studying their mating rituals. Full moon this weekend."

Alice hummed. "You and James chatting each other up didn't help matters."

"I wasn't chatting him up."

"You expect me to believe that now?

Lily grinned. "Okay, maybe I was a little."

"There we go. Now, Lil. On to actual important things...did you do the Potions homework?"

"Of course I did."

"Can I see it?"

Lily flashed open her Potions book and closed it again. "There."

"Come on, Lily…please? I'm having trouble with that last bit… I totally bodged it."

"We can go over it in the courtyard after lunch."

"I'd rather if you just let me copy yours…" Alice grumbled.

"How are you going to learn if you only copy my work? Are you going to send me owls from the Auror's offices asking for my help?"

There was an awkward silence during which Alice blinked a fair amount. "Well, _no_. I suppose I _won't._ "

"Too right. Because I'm going to help you _now_. So I won't have to help you later."

"Can you just...be the professor? Slughorn's too much of a tosser."

Lily chuckled. "He's not a tosser. Just because he's not cutting you any slack now that you're in N.E.W.T level Potions…"

"You should start a study group. I'm sure _James_ would join."

She snorted back a laugh. "All the more reason _not_ to."

"You're right," Alice agreed. "You'd spend all your time helping _him_ , and I'd be back where I started."

"I would not. And this is all rubbish because it's hypothetical. And finish eating so we can go out to the courtyard." She snapped her fingers in the direction of Alice's half-eaten sandwich.

* * *

James stuffed the parchment in his pocket, resolving to look at it later. He was right in the middle of explaining to his mates _exactly_ how he'd gotten out of detention with McGonagall earlier.

She'd assigned it to him when he'd strolled into Transfiguration ten minutes late, but he'd talked himself out of it afterwards.

"Right then, so I just told her I was walking Lily Evans to class. Poor thing, her books are SO heavy…" He poked out his bottom lip, which made Sirius bark with laughter.

"And she believed you?"

"Of course. 'Cause it's the truth. Mostly."

"Mostly…" Sirius rolled his eyes and draped his arm over his face. "Do you want us to ask what the truth is or can you just tell us and get it over and done with?"

"What really happened?" Peter asked eagerly, taking a rather large bite of his apple and almost choking.

"You mean you haven't heard?" Remus asked with a dry chuckle from behind his book. "Potter and Evans are practically engaged now."

"Oh come on, Moony..." James reached over to nick his book, but Remus was too fast, spinning in his seat so he couldn't reach it. "I wanted to say it."

"When's the wedding?" Sirius droned. "I'm not wearing dress robes."

He _did_ succeed in pushing Sirius' feet off the end of the bench. "I'm only walking with her to Hogsmeade. And you'd wear dress robes if I asked you."

"Wait. So… _we're_ not walking with you to Hogsmeade? James...I don't know what to say. I'm heartbroken…" Sirius clutched his chest. "Whatever will I do without you, Prongs?"

"I don't really care, mate. You're going to have to hold hands with Remus or Peter or something."

Remus muttered something like "speak for yourself" under his breath as he still tried in vain to read the book he had open in front of him.

"It's only _your_ hand I want, James. You _know_ my feelings. It's the only hand for me. It's manly and strong from gripping...your broom handle."

James kicked at him again. "Bugger off. I've been waiting over a year for Lily to come 'round. I'm not leaving anything up to chance. And that includes you lot. I don't think she wanted all of us when she asked me to walk with her. So…"

"Wait a tick…" Sirius sat straight up. " _She_ asked you?"

James shrugged. "So what if she did?"

Sirius shook his head. "Nothing. It's just interesting is all. Way to go, Evans."

The subject was changed when Remus reached for his pumpkin juice. He knocked it over instead, causing a scuffle as James pulled out his wand to clean up the mess before it spread all over the table. "You alright there, Moony?"

"Thanks…" Remus sighed and propped his head in his hand. "Just a little tired today is all. My depth perception is off."

"Well...it's a full moon on Friday. It's understandable," James said with what he hoped was a kind smile. "It'll be over soon, though."

Remus shook his head and said the same thing he always said. "No, it won't."

Which never failed to bring James back down to earth. And to be completely honest, he'd been floating up around the rafters of the Great Hall. Someone needed to tug him back down before he did something stupid in front of Lily.

* * *

 **Saturday morning**

Lily huffed out a sigh and looked at her watch. It was already half ten. And she'd asked James to meet her here on the hour. She hadn't expected him to be on time, but this wasn't even fashionably late.

She sat down on the steps with another huff, running her hand through her hair that she'd set in rollers that morning and trying not to read too much into the fact that the bloody git couldn't even deign to be on time. So much for Alice's assumption that they were two ticks from snogging. With every minute he didn't show, the ticks were multiplying. She wasn't sure she'd even hold his hand now.

Honestly, he was going to be lucky if she didn't hex him straight away.

There was a knot in the pit of her stomach as she scooted to the side for a group of yawning third years on their way to the front doors. They'd been up most of the night with the mooncalves. She was happy to not have night watch last night. Frank Longbottom had said he was rounding up third years until nearly four a.m.

Although she might as well have. Since James didn't appear to be showing up.

"Tosser…" she mumbled under her breath, her sick feeling starting to spread.

She glanced down at her watch. A quarter till eleven.

"Oh sod it." She got up and shifted around on her feet for a few moments, trying to figure out what to do. She smoothed out her skirt. She'd pressed it the night before. It was her favourite.

She was wearing her favourite skirt and he wasn't coming.

But she absolutely _wasn't_ gutted, she thought as she blinked back tears and swallowed the lump in her throat.

And she certainly wasn't going to cry. She'd be damned if she shed any tears for James Potter. He didn't deserve them. Just like he didn't deserve all the time she'd put into her appearance that morning.

Of course, if she went back to the dormitory, she'd have to admit to everyone still there that she'd been stood up. Or worse, she might run into James. And wouldn't _that_ be terrible? Because he was either trying to avoid her. Or he'd forgotten entirely.

She didn't know which was worse.

And honestly, she didn't care. She was through. _Absolutely_ through with that royal prat.

So she turned to walk toward the front door with purpose.

She gave her name to Filch, who eyed her suspiciously. "Wasn't you goin' with Potter?"

Lily sighed and shook her head. "Nope."

He made an indeterminate sound and she strolled through the door.

The thing she'd forgotten in her zeal to get out of the castle was the very real possibility that everyone _in_ Hogsmeade knew of her weekend plans. And how it would look for her to arrive alone. And in a nark to boot.

Bloody hell...if even _Filch_ knew…

She squared her shoulders and quickened her pace. Strong and independent. That was how she needed to approach this.

After only a few minutes in town, the stares and whispers drove Lily straight towards The Three Broomsticks, where she knew she'd find Alice and Frank. Alice was the only person she could bear to see. Frank was alright as well, she supposed.

He'd at least be on her side in this.

"Oy there, Lily! There she is!" Alice grinned and reached for her hand, dragging her into the booth. "Why so stroppy? Where's James?"

She pressed her lips together and shrugged. "I dunno."

Alice's face fell. "Oh Lily. I'm sorry, love."

"What happened?" Frank asked, his hand still encased in Alice's as he leaned forward to hear them better.

"James never showed," Alice informed him.

Frank frowned. "That little wanker! Want me to teach him a lesson, Lily? He should know better…"

It should have made her feel better, but it didn't. This wasn't at all how she thought her day would go.

"Maybe there was Quidditch practice or something…" Alice offered. "Maybe the pitch was free?"

Lily swallowed thickly. "Maybe."

"Still, he should have let her know," Frank muttered. "Want a Butterbeer, Lil?"

She shook her head, glancing around the pub. Nearly everyone was sneaking furtive looks in her direction. Whispering. _Pitying_ her. "I shouldn't have come. I should have just gone back to the dorm…"

Alice slipped her arm around her shoulders. "That's utter tosh. We're going to have some fun, darling. You won't even miss that giant knob head...Madame Rosmerta!" She raised her hand and waved the barmaid over to their table. "Another round of Butterbeers!"

Lily noticed Frank lean over to kiss Alice's temple before sliding out of the booth, turning down the second Butterbeer. "Nothing else for me, ma'am."

Her shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry I chased Frank off…"

Alice locked eyes with her beau as he turned back at the door. "He's tired, don't worry about it, Lil. He's probably just going to take a nap. Wanted to make sure I wasn't alone before he did, though." She squeezed Lily's shoulder.

* * *

 _BANG BANG BANG!_

James frowned, looking around him. He was running through the woods.

What on earth was making that racket?

Leaping over a small hillock, he sprinted towards the noise, his hooves beating on the soft ground beneath him.

He skidded to a halt when he saw where it was coming from.

A door.

In the middle of the bloody forest.

A door.

 _BANG BANG BANG!_ "POTTER! OPEN UP!"

Who knew he was here? He was a stag, by Merlin's beard!

The door swung open and then the ground started to shake.

His eyes flew open and he was looking directly into the angry face of Frank Longbottom.

Blimey, he wasn't even sure he'd ever seen old Frank angry before.

It was frightening, it was.

"What then…" he groaned, trying to sit up, but only succeeding momentarily before he tumbled into a heap of bedclothes and limbs at Frank's feet.

"Get up. Get dressed. You wanker." Frank nudged him with his foot. A little harder than was necessary, but a little softer than a kick.

"What time is it, mate? Is there Quidditch today?"

"No, there isn't bloody _Quidditch_ today." Frank nudged him a bit more roughly with his foot. _That_ , James would call a kick. "Get off your arse and get down to the Three Broomsticks."

"Wha'? Why?" James rubbed his eyes.

"Lily's there. Waiting on _you."_

James shook his head. "No, no she isn't. That's not until next weekend. Nice one, Frank. You'll not take the piss outta me. You're liable to give a bloke a coronary pulling pranks like that one…"

"Oh bloody hell…" Frank knelt down in front of him. "They changed the date for the Hogsmeade weekend, James. We all got an announcement about it earlier in the week."

James frowned, reaching for his glasses. "No? No, we didn't? Stop it, Frank. S'not funny anymore, mate."

Frank shrugged and shook his head. "Dunno what to tell ya. Lily's down at the Three Broomsticks looking like someone killed her cat. And bloody everyone knew you were supposed to go together, so of course everyone's whisperin' about this and that and why you stood her up…"

None of this made any sense at all. It had to be part of some elaborate prank or something. Sirius maybe did this or… James glanced over at his friend, who had collapsed on top of his bedclothes with his arse up in the air.

Or maybe not.

He spied a couple of things on his bedside table. Quills. His wand. A folded-up piece of parchment.

His stomach dropped down to his feet.

"Oh Merlin...no…" He crawled over to grab the parchment, squinting at the writing without his glasses. "Oh Merlin, no…"

"I _told_ you…"

"I didn't mean to...Longbottom, you have to believe me. I didn't mean to. I was right excited about this, I was. I was!" he insisted, reaching for Frank's jumper and yanking him down to his level. "I was!"

Frank sighed. "It's not me you need to convince of that, James. Although...maybe you should think about brushing your teeth before you try to do any more convincing..."

James didn't think he'd ever in his life gotten dressed as quickly as he did right then. Or brushed his teeth and hair at the same time. He was lucky not to get toothpaste in his hair, truthfully.

He certainly hadn't run nearly as fast as he did downstairs to the front doors. To give his name to Filch, who snickered in his direction before marking him down on the list. "Yer in the doghouse now for sure…" he said, clucking his tongue.

James even considered changing into a stag just so he could run as fast as was possible. But Frank was with him, so that prevented that.

He couldn't think about anything other than getting there. Getting to that ruddy inn where Lily was. So she knew he didn't stand her up. Because he absolutely hadn't meant to.

They were just arriving at Three Broomsticks when he spotted her. Lily's red hair stood out against the bland background of Hogsmeade. Her red hair stood out anywhere, if he was being sincere. She was the brightest thing in any room ever.

She was wearing that purple skirt. The one that she'd been wearing a few months earlier on the Hogwarts Express, just before everyone changed into their robes on the ride to the school. Yes, he'd noticed. Of course he'd noticed.

Her coat was black wool. Nothing special except that Lily was wearing it, so it was quite frankly, the most becoming piece of outerwear James had ever seen in his life.

It was this thought that made him realize that he'd forgotten his own coat.

But it was the smallest, the _tiniest,_ inconvenience compared to what it would be if he had to go running back for it.

Frank's hand came up to smack his shoulder. "Quit staring and go talk to her."

He gulped and nodded, stumbling forward. "Lily!" he blurted.

And she turned to face him, her bright green eyes moving up to stare into his. And he had honestly never been more frightened by what he saw there.

 _Murder._

"James. Nice of you to join us," she said, pressing her lips together as her eyes darted around. "I was wondering when I would see you…"

He tore his eyes away from her frightening beauty for long enough to see what she was looking at. Or rather, whom.

Every sodding _person_ in Hogsmeade had them in their sights and he, for one, was a bit appalled at how quickly they'd become the gossip of the weekend.

"I do apologize for being late, Lily. I overslept."

Her eyebrows went up. Her eyes were a little too wide for his comfort. And her smile a little too forced.

"Well, I certainly hope you're not knackered _now_ ," Alice Macmillian interjected with an actual, real smile. "Because I am _sure_ Lily would love to go for a walk with you to discuss what you've missed." She glanced over at Lily expectantly and to his immense relief, she nodded.

"A walk would be lovely," she said, flashing a tight smile and wrapping her arms around her middle as she walked away from the village and towards the road that led to the Shrieking Shack.

His heart was racing, beating a cacophony of noise in his chest as he followed her. He only hoped he could salvage the day, that he could make her believe him.

* * *

Her jaw and neck actually hurt from the effort she was making not to turn 'round and give James Potter the public dressing down that he deserved.

Literally the only thing keeping her from it was her desire to see all the drama from this almost-a-date-but-not-a-date blow over in a few days.

Which it wouldn't if she blew up at him here.

It would be the jilting of the year if she yelled right now, before she could cast a muffling charm and get away from prying eyes.

So she simply wrapped her arms around herself a little tighter and clenched her teeth.

"Lily...I…" he began. But they weren't far enough away.

"Not. Here," she hissed. And she swore she could feel him stiffen. She tilted her head in the direction they were walking.

He seemed to understand.

Such that when she rounded on him as they approached the Shrieking Shack, he barely jumped. But when she whipped out her wand, he flinched in such a way that she realized he probably thought she was going to hex him.

It was almost funny.

Except it wasn't.

She muttered a muffling charm and understanding passed over his face as she kept muttering them so that they wouldn't be audible.

"James…" she began, only to be interrupted by the prat-face before she could even get started.

"Lily...I am so sorry…" he said, his tone imploring and completely genuine. "Please...you have to let me explain myself…"

She shook her head, holding up her hand. "No. James. Let me speak."

He closed his mouth with a click.

She opened hers, but no sound came out. She closed it again and shook her head, chuckling darkly. "I don't even know how to begin…"

"Lily…"

"I waited for nearly an hour in the courtyard, James. An hour."

He dropped his head, looking down at his shoes. One of which was untied. He scuffed it against the road. "I'm sorry."

"And then I got here, and…and _everyone_ knew about it! Everyone! They were all looking at me with these pitiful looks and I just...I felt like such a fool."

He looked up and shook his head. "No...Lily. You're not a fool -"

"I am a hell of a fool if I thought you could take this seriously. What was so important that you couldn't even send word that you weren't coming?"

"I overslept," he blurted. "I did. I was out late last night and-"

She frowned. "I'm sorry...you were OUT late last night? Tell me it was detention, James. Or I'll have to inform someone that you were breaking curfew."

He pressed his lips together and shook his head, turning away from her for a moment before turning back abruptly. "Lily...Lily, I don't want to lie to you. But...I can't tell you what I was doing last night."

She could feel her frown deepening. "Why not?"

"Because it's not...it's not my information to share."

"If you're involved with something, it's _your_ information, James. If you are breaking rules and leaving the castle after curfew, it's _your_ information."

He looked positively pained. He was visibly biting his bottom lip. But still he shook his head. "It's not mine to share."

Her shoulders slumped and she shook her head once more. Tears pricked at her eyelids and she swore she wasn't going to cry in front of him. "Why couldn't you put it off until next weekend? If you knew Hogsmeade was today?"

He was silent for a few moments, obviously warring with himself. "I...I well...I didn't know that they moved the Hogsmeade weekend…and...I know they sent out an announcement, but I just...I didn't look at it. I dunno why…" He laughed, a short burst of sound. "I should have...Lily, I should have. If I had known, I'd have...I would have shown up. No matter how tired I was, Lily."

"Couldn't you have just...put off your...rule breaking?" she asked. "Then you wouldn't have been tired at all."

He shook his head. "I...I'm sorry. The full moon makes people do crazy things, I guess...I-" He stopped talking abruptly.

"The full moon?" she asked.

"Or _not_ the full moon. It's just me. I do...foolish and barmy things for no good reason. Like...ha...like missing this date? Remember when I did that? You were...very, _very_ angry with me, Lily. Very angry. Just a few moments ago, in fact…"

 _The full moon_! _Of course…_

Why hadn't she thought of this before? She'd been so caught up in her own life that she'd completely forgotten what the full moon entailed for one of her very closest friends.

Blast it all, she'd even noticed his haggard appearance in the Great Hall.

Remus must have been turning. Which meant that James, Sirius and Peter must have been...with him? How could that be?

Her brain tossed and turned, dredging up bits and pieces of information that she had on that group of idiots. A specific time in third year came to the forefront. When they walked around with a lisp for an entire month because they all had mandrake leaves under their tongues.

Because they were trying to become Animagi. She knew that's what they were doing. She didn't know why at the time.

She looked up at James. That git became an Animagus. Just to help out a friend. What an absolute idiot.

He was looking pale. Pale and a little sick. And he kept stammering about how angry she was with him, trying to steer her away from the information that wasn't his to share.

"You're right…" she said suddenly, scaring him a little, seeing as he jumped. She smiled up at him. A true smile, not one that was forced. "I was _horribly_ angry at you."

"Was?" he asked, puzzled.

"But now I'm not. And…" she trailed off as she looked up at him with new eyes. Yes, he was still a git. Yes, he was the same boy with the unruly black hair who had pulled her braids and called her 'Carrots' all the time when they were young. But maybe he wasn't as self-involved as she had previously assumed.

And maybe he was a touch more loyal than one would expect from a Gryffindor.

Though he wasn't punctual at all. She'd have to constantly remind him of their dates after this.

And maybe that made him even more attractive to her. Because nobody was perfect, were they? She certainly wasn't.

"And…?" he repeated, a slight smirk on his lips that made her want to...well…

Kiss him. Wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him. Except...at the precise moment where she should have done, she didn't. She froze. He was standing so close to her.

She hadn't noticed how near they were to each other or how his body heat was radiating. How was he so warm even without a coat?

The barmy buffoon. Running straight down here without a coat. And with only one shoe tied.

She attempted to stifle a grin and failed, given the look on his face. "And…?" he led, tilting his head and jamming his hands in his pockets. He looked very much like a cat who'd got the cream.

Taking a step back, she held out her hand. "Let's go get a Butterbeer. I believe you said you'd buy me one."

 _Not quite yet, Potter,_ she thought to herself, feeling all the more triumphant when he slipped his cold hand into hers and they began walking back towards Hogsmeade.

"Yes, I believe I did say that-" He stopped walking abruptly, a pained expression clouding his face before he muttered 'bollocks…' under his breath.

"Is something wrong?" Lily asked, glancing up at him worriedly.

"Would you be so kind as to wait for me at Three Broomsticks? In my haste, I left my money back at the castle…"

She laughed. "Actually...I'd rather not waste any more of the day...so you can just...owe me? If that's alright with you? If your masculinity will allow you to be indebted to me for a few hours?"

James tightened his grip on her hand and grimaced. "I really botched this entire day, didn't I?"

"It's only a few sickles, James." Lily started walking once more, and he kept up with her, his hand clasped tightly around hers.

"I think I have a lot more to make up than a few sickles. I'm far more indebted to you than that, aren't I?"

She shrugged, the very picture of nonchalance. "I dunno...the first part of the date was horrendous. But _this_ is nice. I think you've broken even for this one."

"You're a _saint_ , Lily Evans. Anyone ever tell you that?"

She grinned before continuing,"Or you _will_ have broken even. Once you pay me back for the Butterbeer."

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